How to verify a CWI certification with AWS QuikCheck

That's the whole check for most employers, owners and engineers. The rest of this page covers how to read the result, what the digit in the number tells you, why a working inspector can show as expired, and where the AWS login fits if you're the inspector rather than the person checking.

Who checks a CWI, and why

• Employers and hiring managers confirming a candidate's card before an offer.
• Owners, engineers and fabricators who need inspection reports signed by a certified inspector.
• General contractors and quality managers checking a subcontractor's inspector before work starts.
• The inspector, confirming what AWS shows before a renewal date or a job application.

A card, a stamp or a number typed on a report is a claim. The lookup is how you confirm it with AWS.

Step by step: using QuikCheck

1. Ask the inspector for their AWS certification number. It's printed on the wallet card and the wall certificate.
2. Open AWS Certification QuikCheck. AWS's verification page lists it next to a separate lookup, the National Registry of Certified Welders, which is for the Certified Welder program and not for inspectors.
3. Enter the certification number and the person's last name, then search.
4. Read each line of the result: certification number, name and expiration date.
5. Confirm the person in front of you is the person in the result. AWS's page strongly suggests a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license.
6. Save the result with the date you checked, in the job file or the hiring file.

The search is free. AWS also notes on that page that certificates and wallet cards are AWS property.

How to read the certification number

The QuikCheck page carries a key: one character in the certification number tells you which certification it is. The page doesn't say which position that character sits in, so match the result against the key instead of guessing from the first digit. These are the codes for the inspector levels:

The same key lists letters for other AWS credentials, such as CWE, CRI and CWS, and a separate set of codes for visual acuity results, such as NR for not required and WC for with correction and color vision. If you see a code that isn't in the table above, read it against the key on the AWS page.

CWI, CAWI or SCWI: why the level matters

The level decides who can sign off the work. AWS's QuikCheck page points to QC1, section 4.4: a CAWI performs inspections under the direct supervision of a CWI or SCWI, and the CWI or SCWI is the one responsible for certifying that the welded work meets its acceptance requirements. So when the result shows a CAWI, ask who the supervising CWI or SCWI is, and verify that person too.

The CWI vs CAWI vs SCWI comparison lays out what each level needs, how long each lasts and how inspectors move from one to the next.

What the expiration date tells you

AWS's CWI page describes a nine-year credential with renewal applications at years three and six. A renewal can go in as early as 11 months before the expiration date, AWS recommends sending it at least 60 days ahead, and there is a 60-day grace period during which the certification shows as expired.

That last point causes most of the confusion. An "expired" result can mean the certification lapsed, or it can mean the inspector is inside that grace period. Ask the inspector for their renewal status and check again before you rely on their sign-off. If you're the one holding the card, the renewal and recertification guide covers each route, deadline and fee so your own lookup never shows a gap.

The AWS login: when you're the inspector

Searches for "aws cwi login" usually come from inspectors and applicants, not from employers. QuikCheck asks only for a certification number and a last name. The login you want is the My AWS Portal at my.aws.org. AWS's pages say:

• All certification and endorsement applications, except Certified Welder applications, go through the My AWS Portal. AWS stopped accepting paper applications on 15 January 2026.
• You use my.aws.org to enter your information, submit required documents and a current photo, register for seminars and courses, and pay.
• An incomplete application can be saved and finished later.
• You check the status of an application by logging into your AWS account.

Applying for the first time? The how to become a CWI guide walks through the experience rows, the vision test and the order of steps.

Mistakes to avoid when you check

• Trusting a photocopy or a stamp. A number on paperwork is a claim until the lookup confirms it.
• Searching with half the details. QuikCheck asks for the number and the last name together, so get both from the inspector before you start.
• Ignoring the level. A CAWI result means a supervising CWI or SCWI has to be part of the picture.
• Reading the wrong line. The result lists each certification with its own expiration date, so read the line for the credential the job needs.
• Not keeping a record. Note the date you checked. If anyone asks later, you can show when and how you confirmed it.

Want your own name to come up?

If you're reading this because you want to be the inspector people look up, the route is three exam parts: Part A Fundamentals, Part B Practical and the open-book Part C Code Book exam, with 72% needed on each. Take the free 10-question check for Part A: it needs no signup, explains every answer and scores you by domain, so your study time goes where your score is weakest. Take the free 10-question check.

FAQ

Is AWS QuikCheck free?

Yes. AWS titles the search page as its free online certification verification service. You need the inspector's certification number and last name.

Can I look up a CWI by name only?

The QuikCheck search asks for both the certification number and the last name. Ask the inspector for the number on their wallet card or wall certificate.

Why does a CWI show as expired on QuikCheck?

AWS gives a 60-day grace period after the expiration date, and the certification shows as expired during it. It can also mean a real lapse, so ask the inspector for their renewal status before relying on their sign-off.

Where do I log in to my AWS certification account?

At my.aws.org, the My AWS Portal. Applications, documents, photos, seminar registration, payments and status checks all go through it, and AWS stopped accepting paper applications on 15 January 2026.

How do I verify an AWS Certified Welder instead of a CWI?

AWS's verification page links a separate lookup, the National Registry of Certified Welders, for the Certified Welder program.

Sources

Checked 26 Oct 2026:

• Quikcheck/Verify Certifications, American Welding Society: the QuikCheck and Certified Welder registry lookups.
• AWS's Free Online Certification Verification Service, American Welding Society: inputs, results, the certification number key, the photo ID advice and the QC1 4.4 note on CAWIs.
• Certified Welding Inspector, American Welding Society: my.aws.org, the nine-year cycle, the renewal window and the 60-day grace period.
• CWI and SCWI Endorsements, American Welding Society: online-only applications from 15 January 2026 and status checks in your account.